When it came time to figure out a power source for my Toyota Tacoma Truck Camper, I knew I wanted something portable that could be used in or out of the camper. So I started looking at reviews of portable power stations online. And one brand appeared again and again: Jackery.
Founded in 2012 in California, USA, Jackery was born with a vision to offer green energy to everyone, everywhere. In 2016, Jackery launched the world’s first outdoor portable power stations and, two years later, developed the world’s first portable solar panels. Having introduced solar generators to the great outdoors, Jackery fulfills the power needs of every nature-lover, inspiring them to explore further and seek more extraordinary experiences than before. We encourage global adventurers to enjoy the outdoors sustainably, working together to protect our planet and build a better future.
Jackery.com
Since its founding in 2012, Jackery has become a leading brand in portable power stations. They have several different sizes of portable power stations ranging from the 64 lb Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Power Station to the significantly smaller 6.5 lb Jackery Explorer 240.
All of Jackery’s power stations are designed with exploration in mind. Per the website, they are supposed to be up to 30% lighter and smaller than alternatives.
After comparing and contrasting different options, determining how much power I would need on my road trip, and using Jackery’s “How to Choose” page, I settled on the Jackery Explorer 1000 for my adventures.
The Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station
The Jackery Explorer 1000 has a capacity of 1,002 Wh and weighs 22 pounds (or about 10 kg). It uses a lithium-ion cell battery and has a cycle life of 500 cycles to 80% capacity, which means you will have up to 5 years of battery life.
There are multiple ports, including two USB-C, two USG, three regular (wall) outlets, and one DC car port. With 1000wH of output, this means you could run most blenders for about 2.5 hours, a standard coffee maker for about 1.5 hours, or a kettle for about 1 hour.
More important for me was how long I could run a portable cooler. The Bouge RV Portable Dual Zone cooler that I purchased as my refrigeration system for traveling takes between 45W to 60W, depending on if you are in ECO or MAX mode. The Max Mode uses less than 1kWh per day, which meant that the Jackery could power this fridge for over 24 hours.
Now that assumes that the cooler is not running constantly. If running constantly, Jackery estimates that in MAX mode (60W) it would run for 13.4 hours. In ECO mode you would get 17.8 hours.
Recharging the Jackery Explorer 1000
To recharge the Jackery you can use solar power, wall power, or a car charger. Per Jackery’s website, it takes 8 hours to charge via solar (but that will depend on how much solar power you are generating*), 7 hours via a wall charger, and 14 hours via a car charger.
*Jackery does break this down further to say that two of the 100 W solar panels will recharge in 8-10 hours, while a single solar panel would recharge in 13.5 hours.
Warranty
To top off all of the great features of this battery, Jackery offers a 2-year warranty, which is extended an additional year if you purchase directly from Jackery’s website (which is what I did). The Jackery Explorer 1000 is also available from Amazon if you prefer shopping there.
My Experience with the Jackery Explorer 1000 Power Station
I brought the Explorer 1000 along with me on a 2-month road trip to Alaska and the Arctic Ocean and was very impressed with it. The Explorer 1000 was easy to carry and move around and withstood the constant travel and jostling in the back of my pickup truck well. It successfully powered my electric cooler for 2-3 days at a time, could run a coffee maker if desired (I found it took about 7% of the batter to make a single cup of coffee in my off-brand single coffee machine), and did a great job of charging miscellaneous small items.
I had hoped to recharge it with the outlet in the bed of my pick-up truck. My Toyota Tacoma has a 120V/400W outlet in the bed of the truck. Unfortunately, it only runs at 400W when the truck is idling, not when running. When running, it reduces to a 100-watt outlet.
Unfortunately, the Jackery Explorer 1000 draws more than 100 watts when recharging via a wall outlet. There are some aftermarket kits to keep the bed outlet of the Tacoma at a 400W output while running, but I have yet to install that. So the Jackery was unable to be charged in the bed of my truck while driving. Instead, I had to move it up to the cab to charge from the car outlet while driving. This was less ideal but still workable.
Below you can see the Jackery Explorer 1000 sitting on the righthand side of the picture in front of my truck bed outlet. After packing the truck camper, I ran a cord under the foam flooring to connect it to the BougeRV cooler.
So is the Jackery Explorer 1000 worth it?
Yes! This a reliable and portable power station that will run an electric cooler, power your phones, or run other small appliances. If you are looking for a compact and portable battery with a good amount of power, a long-lasting battery, and a good warranty, then this power station is perfect for you!
